Nut-lock.



CHARLES H. BOOTHBY, 0F BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS.

NUT-Loek.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

Application filed May 20, 1910. Serial No. 562,405.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES I-I. BooTHBY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Beverly, in the county of Essex and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Nut-Locks, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to nut locks, its object being to provide a nut lock simple in form but efficient in operation.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will loe more partieularly pointed out in the appended claims. In the drawings Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing a nut lock embodying one form of my invention, the key being shown in its unlocked position. Fig. 2 is a similar sectional elevation showing the key in a different position; and Fig. 3 is a plan view on a smaller scale of the nut lock shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawing and to the embodiment of the invention there shown for illustrative purposes, an ordinary nut 1 is shown partly cut through with a narrow slot-like cavity 2 which transversely opens into the walls of the bolt hole and extends therefrom toward the side walls of the nut. This slot is so shaped as to receive a thread indenting key ,3, preferably of hardened steel and having a thread-indenting edge 4. The bottom of the slot is so shaped as to form a cam-like seat for the key so that when the latter' is forcibly moved, as by turning upon its seat, the thread indenting edge 4 will be forced inwardly and also preferably upwardly into the threads of the bolt which are exposed at the mouth of the slot. The particular shape of the key and its seat may be widely varied, but herein the effective portion of the seat is concaved and arc-shaped as shown, and the cooperating edge of the key is also arc-shaped. In its unlocked position, as shown in Fig. 1, the key rests upon its seat with an edge portion 5 projecting above the upper edge of the nut. By striking or forcing inwardly this projecting edge portion, the key may be turned upon its arc-shaped seat about the center of the arc (shown approximately at G) from the unlocked position in Fig. 1 to the locked position in Fig. 2. In its unlocked position the key presents its indenting edge 4t toward the threads of the bolt as shown in Fig. l, providing suitable clearance, however, to leave the same free for turning. The indenting edge portion is so shaped with relation to the center G, that when the key is turned to its locked position, the cutting edge sinks into the threads of the bolt, preferalily with an upward sweeping or wedging movement, so that when the projecting edge 5 is substantially flush with or a little below the upper edge of the nut, it is brought to the locked position of Fig. 2. That is to say the indenting edges of the indenting key have an indenting movement both toward the bolt and away from the bottom of the key recess or away from the nut. In this position the key is prevented from further turning movement in the same direction by the resistance of the bolt to further penetration. On the ','other hand the metal of the nut may be headed over the edge portion 5 to prevent the accidental or unintentional return of the key toward an unlocked position.

The parts are preferably so proportioned that when the key is forced into the locked position, the cutting edge 4, which sinks into the bolt by approximately the depth of the threads, is overlapped at its top by the metal of one or more threads, so that its further accidental movement in that direction is positively prevented. lVhen, therefore, the metal of the nut is headed over the edge portion 5, the key is positively locked against movement in either direction. When the key is initially installed in the nut and inserted in the cavity, it is driven into its unlocked position ready for use by a single blow on the edge portion 7.

The key is preferably so formed that, when turned to the locked position, it presents a projecting edge portion 7 above the Lipper face of the nut and between the bolt and the center G. By striking the projection 7 with a suitable implement the key may be forced down and turned back upon its seat from the locked position in Fig. 2 to the unlocked position in Fig. 1.

IVhile I have here shown one concrete elnbodiment of my invention for the sake of illustration, it is to be understood that wide deviations may be made from the form and relative arrangement of parts and details ident'ing key having -a convex edge engaging and guided by said seat.

2. A nut having a slot-shaped cavity opening into the bolt1 ho-le andpresenting an arclshaped concave seat and a key engaging said seat presenting an indenting edge adapted to enter the threads of the bolt ywhen the key is turned on its seat'.

3. A Vnut having a slot-shaped cavity opening into the bolt hole and providinga curved key seat, a theread indenting key engaging said seat having an indent-ing edge and a projecting portion near the outer end of said key by which said key may be turned on its seat and the indentin-g edge vcaused to enter t'hefthreads of the bolt.

4L. A nut having a concave key seat and a key engaging said seat provided with an i-ndenting edge, said key being formed to turn on its seatandvswing the indenting edge toward the threads of the bolt.

5. A nut lock7 the -nut having a slotshaped cavity `opening into the bolt hole, said cavity being formed with an arc-shaped seat-f, a thread indenting key having an arcshaped edge to engage said seat, a thread indenting edge, a portion adapted to project from said slot in the unlocked position of the key, whereby said key may be orced to its locked position, and a portion adapted to project from said slot in the locked position of said key, whereby said latter may be turned back to its unlocked position.

6. A nut having a slot-shaped cav-ity opening into the bolt hole and presenting a curved key seat, a thread indenting key engaging said seat and having in its unlocked position a portion projecting from the mouth of the slot and adapted to receive a blow, said key being shaped to turn upon its seat and out into the threads of the bolt in the same -direction from which the blow is received. y i v 7. A nut having a curved key seat and a thread indenting key having a curved edge engaging said seat, said key being shaped to out backwardly into the threads of lthe bolt when forced into its locking position.

8. A nuthaving a key recess and an i`n dentingkey therein and means to provide a thread indenting movement of the cutting edges of said key in a direction both toward the bolt and away from the nut.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

l CHARLES H; BooTriBY.

Yvlitnesses: i 1 j F. IRENE CHANDLER, ARTHUR E. CAn'soN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by addressing the Commissioner tof Patents, Washington, D. CJ. 

